KAMPALA — The Member of Parliament for Kapchorwa Municipality, Hon. Kitiyo Patrick Salimo (KPS), has formally raised a Matter of National Importance on the floor of Parliament, calling for the urgent establishment and upgrading of a facility to a Regional Referral Hospital to serve the Sebei Sub-region.

In a petition dated September 2, 2026, submitted to the Speaker of Parliament, Hon. Salimo highlighted the severe healthcare challenges faced by residents across the three districts of the Sebei Sub-region—Kapchorwa, Kween, and Bukwo—which have a combined population of approximately 377,294 people.

According to the legislator, the sub-region currently relies heavily on Kapchorwa General Hospital, a facility that is already overwhelmed because it also absorbs referrals from neighboring districts, including Bulambuli, Nakapiripirit, and Amudat.

Overstretched Facilities and Long Distances

For years, patients requiring specialized medical care in Sebei have had to travel long distances to Mbale Regional Referral Hospital. However, Mbale Regional Referral Hospital is heavily overstretched, serving a catchment area of over three million people across the Bugisu sub-region and neighboring areas.

“For poor families, the cost, distance, and delays associated with referrals can mean the difference between life and death,” Hon. Salimo emphasized in his submission to Parliament.

Government Action Underway

The push for improved healthcare infrastructure in the region appears to be gaining traction. An official hand-written minute on the parliamentary document dated October 15, 2026, notes that the Minister of Health, Hon. Dr. Jane Ruth Aceng (referred to in the note as Hon. Chris), has earmarked Kapchorwa Hospital alongside Tororo Hospital to be upgraded to Regional Referral status as part of an ongoing work-in-progress initiative.

If approved and implemented, the upgrade of Kapchorwa General Hospital to a Regional Referral Hospital will significantly reduce the referral burden on Mbale, lower healthcare costs for local families, and bring specialized emergency and clinical medical services closer to the residents of Sebei and the surrounding communities.